Tissue or stone extracting baskets have been available for several decades. For the most part, these devices are used blind in that the grasping of the stone is done by the feel of the surgeon rather than by visual observation. In gastroenterology, the basket may be passed down the working channel of the large endoscope such as a gastroduodenoscope. The basket is controlled under direct vision provided by the larger endoscope.
In case of very small internal channels, such as the human ureter and the human salivary gland duct or the cystic duct, the very small diameter of the channel makes it impossible to visually observe what is happening by use of current technology.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,149 to Komiya discloses an endoscope having a basket which can be retracted inside the sleeve. Optical means is provided in the endoscope above the sleeve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,960 to Utsugi discloses an endoscope having a basket with individually retractable arms. The center of the endoscope is provided with a central passageway which can be used for viewing optics and illumination fibers, or these can be withdrawn for insertion of liquid injecting means or vacuum means.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,938 to Sequra et al. discloses a stone basket having a plurality of spring arms which are extendable for use and retractable within a sleeve during insertion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,419 to Okada discloses an endoscope with a snare on the end thereof which can be partially drawn inside of a tubular member to reduce its size or pushed outside of the tube to enlarge its size. It has a handle assembly with a series of notches and set screw so that the adjustment of the size of the snare can be made incrementally and the device held in the appropriate position by the set screw.
Russian Patent No. 278,958 discloses an endoscope having a basket and optics within a tubular member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,867 to Wilk, shows in FIG. 2F, an endoscope device for use with a collapsible membrane, having both a laser source and light source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,199 to Okada et al.discloses an endoscope with a basket which can be extended or withdrawn into a sleeve.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,054 discloses a surgical gripping instrument having a loop which can be drawn into a tubular member.